Why Mark O’Connell is begging Elon Musk not to make Ryanair look good

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by The Irish Times, click this post to read the original article.

If you often travel for work, especially from a small island, you’re likely familiar with Ryanair. You’re not expected to enjoy flying with them—just to use it because it’s cost-effective and mostly reliable. The experience often feels impersonal, rushed, and uncomfortable, with customer service that falls short and boarding processes that can leave you waiting endlessly. Despite that, it’s hard to avoid Ryanair if you’re looking for affordable travel across Europe.

Recently, however, you may have noticed a new twist to the story. Elon Musk, frustrated by Ryanair’s refusal to install his Starlink satellite internet due to cost and drag concerns, entered into a public spat with the airline’s CEO, Michael O’Leary. Their online argument turned personal, with Musk insulting O’Leary and joking about buying the airline to put someone named “Ryan” in charge—a remark that missed the mark, given the airline was once run by a man named Ryan.

Despite your likely dislike for Ryanair, this incident might make you uneasy about Musk’s involvement. His track record with Twitter, now called X—where he’s been criticized for its decline in quality and problematic content—doesn’t inspire confidence. You might feel that, unpleasant as Ryanair already is, Musk’s ownership could make things far worse, trivializing safety and mocking customer complaints.

There’s also an irony here: Musk, who once championed space colonization, now imagines running budget flights to European holiday spots. It’s a humbling shift that raises real questions about vision and leadership. If you’ve already left platforms like Twitter because of this ideological and practical shift, you might soon feel compelled to distance yourself from Ryanair too, should Musk get involved.